Data / Webster County / Profile

Webster County in figures

A profile of Webster County from official statistics: 24 figures in 6 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Webster County was 36,838 in 2025, up 0.1% from 2024, and the 18th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Population36,8382025Up 0.1% from 2024The 18th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Median age39.7 years2024Down 0.1 years from 2023The 26th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Population aged 65 and over21.1%2025Up 0.2 percentage points from 2024The 21st lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Foreign-born population share3%2024Down 0.3 percentage points from 2023
Population density19.9 inhabitants per km²2025Up 0.1% from 2024
Net domestic migration, July to June-102025, estimatedCompared with -2 in 2024
36.6K36.8K37K37.2K2020202120222023202420252020: 36,997 persons2021: 37,181 persons2022: 36,693 persons2023: 36,666 persons2024: 36,799 persons2025: 36,838 persons
Population, 2020 to 2025. persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km²; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in Webster County was 3.8% (provisional) in August 2026, up 0.1 percentage points from August 2025, and tied for the 20th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Unemployment rate3.8%August 2026, provisionalUp 0.1 percentage points from August 2025Tied for the 20th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Median household income$68,9752024Up 1.4% from 2023The 41st lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Per capita personal income$55,4652024Up 2.6% from 2023The 16th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Poverty rate (US official measure)13.1%2024Down 0.9 percentage points from 2023
Gini index44.32024Up 0.4 points from 2023
234562021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-082021-07: 5.4 %2021-08: 4.8 %2021-09: 3.5 %2021-10: 3.3 %2021-11: 3.1 %2021-12: 3.2 %2022-01: 4.1 %2022-02: 3.5 %2022-03: 3.1 %2022-04: 2.4 %2022-05: 2.7 %2022-06: 3.7 %2022-07: 3.7 %2022-08: 4.1 %2022-09: 3.1 %2022-10: 3.2 %2022-11: 3.2 %2022-12: 3.2 %2023-01: 3.8 %2023-02: 3.7 %2023-03: 3.5 %2023-04: 2.7 %2023-05: 3.1 %2023-06: 4.1 %2023-07: 4 %2023-08: 3.5 %2023-09: 2.9 %2023-10: 2.9 %2023-11: 2.6 %2023-12: 2.9 %2024-01: 3.6 %2024-02: 3.1 %2024-03: 2.9 %2024-04: 2.3 %2024-05: 2.9 %2024-06: 3.8 %2024-07: 4.1 %2024-08: 3.7 %2024-09: 2.9 %2024-10: 3.3 %2024-11: 3.3 %2024-12: 3.3 %2025-01: 4 %2025-02: 3.7 %2025-03: 3.9 %2025-04: 3.4 %2025-05: 3.6 %2025-06: 3.9 %2025-07: 4.2 %2025-08: 3.7 %2025-09: 3.1 %2025-11: 3.2 %2025-12: 3.2 %2026-01: 3.9 %2026-02: 3.6 %2026-03: 3.6 %2026-04: 2.6 %2026-05: 3.1 %2026-06: 3.6 %2026-07: 3.7 %2026-08: 3.8 %
Unemployment rate, July 2021 to August 2026. %. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, per capita personal income, current dollars, individual counties and county equivalents; U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). Labor market statistics and rankings

Economy

GDP (US dollars) in Webster County was $2.76 billion in 2024, up 2.2% from 2023, and the 17th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars$2.76 billion2024Up 2.2% from 2023The 17th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
GDP per capita, US dollars$74,7532024Up 1.5% from 2023The 47th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Real GDP growth1.2%2024Up 2.5 percentage points from 2023Tied for the 46th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
1,5001,7502,0002,2502,5002,7503,00020012005200920132017202120242001: 1,539.5 USD million2002: 1,570.5 USD million2003: 1,689.5 USD million2004: 1,698.9 USD million2005: 1,623.6 USD million2006: 1,684.8 USD million2007: 1,615.3 USD million2008: 1,868.9 USD million2009: 1,937.7 USD million2010: 2,215.8 USD million2011: 2,471.1 USD million2012: 2,293.6 USD million2013: 2,398.8 USD million2014: 2,227.9 USD million2015: 2,233.2 USD million2016: 2,179.6 USD million2017: 2,156.7 USD million2018: 2,143 USD million2019: 2,122.8 USD million2020: 2,074.2 USD million2021: 2,461.2 USD million2022: 2,655.4 USD million2023: 2,698.9 USD million2024: 2,759.1 USD million
Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars, 2001 to 2024. USD million. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions); Invokely, GDP in current dollars (BEA SAGDP2 and CAGDP1) divided by mid-year population (BEA SAINC1 and CAINC1); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. Economy statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Median home value in Webster County was $153,800 in 2024, up 11% from 2023, and the 39th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Median home value$153,8002024Up 11% from 2023The 39th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
County house price annual change, sales and refinances3.52%2025Down 0.77 percentage points from 2024The 48th lowest of 96 counties in Iowa
Median gross rent (monthly)$7852024Up 3% from 2023The 37th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Homeownership rate (US, housing units)70.3%2024Up 0.3 percentage points from 2023
Housing units authorized by building permits232025, estimatedDown 17.9% from 2024
110K120K130K140K150K160K20212022202320242021: 110,900 USD2022: 130,400 USD2023: 138,500 USD2024: 153,800 USD
Median home value, 2021 to 2024. USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units; Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. Housing statistics and rankings

Business and tourism

Employer firms in Webster County were 811 in 2023, up 1.2% from 2022, and the 16th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Employer firms8112023Up 1.2% from 2022The 16th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Farms9072022No 2021 figure to compareThe 38th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
8008509009501,0001,05019992003200720112015201920231999: 1,030 count2000: 1,011 count2001: 959 count2002: 957 count2003: 952 count2004: 952 count2005: 941 count2006: 937 count2007: 936 count2008: 927 count2009: 891 count2010: 863 count2011: 859 count2012: 861 count2013: 846 count2014: 836 count2015: 835 count2016: 826 count2017: 823 count2018: 833 count2019: 827 count2020: 819 count2021: 802 count2022: 801 count2023: 811 count
Employer firms, 1999 to 2023. count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties; U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Companies statistics and rankings

Energy and environment

Median Air Quality Index (US EPA) in Webster County was 45 in 2025, with no 2024 figure in the same series to compare.

Median Air Quality Index (US EPA)452025No 2024 figure to compare
Share of days with good air quality (US EPA AQI)59.2%2025No 2024 figure to compare
Average annual temperature48.8 °F2025Down 1.8 °F from 2024The 34th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
444648505220012005200920132017202120252001: 48.3 °F2002: 48.4 °F2003: 47.2 °F2004: 47.8 °F2005: 48.9 °F2006: 49.8 °F2007: 48 °F2008: 45.1 °F2009: 46.1 °F2010: 47.4 °F2011: 47.5 °F2012: 51.3 °F2013: 45.7 °F2014: 44.7 °F2015: 48.5 °F2016: 49.8 °F2017: 49.3 °F2018: 46.6 °F2019: 45.8 °F2020: 48.4 °F2021: 49.4 °F2022: 46.4 °F2023: 49.5 °F2024: 50.6 °F2025: 48.8 °F
Average annual temperature, 2001 to 2025. °F. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties.

Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: median daily AQI; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts; NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. Environment and emissions statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b01002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/counties/asrh/cc-est2025-agesex-all.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  5. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  8. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  9. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, per capita personal income, current dollars, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19083.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  12. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions). https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  13. Invokely calculation from GDP in current dollars (BEA SAGDP2 and CAGDP1) divided by mid-year population (BEA SAINC1 and CAINC1). https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#gdp_per_capita_usd. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  14. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP11.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  15. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25077.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  16. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted. https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/annual/hpi_at_county.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  17. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  18. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  19. U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  20. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  21. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).
  22. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: median daily AQI. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  23. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System, AirData. EPA AirData annual AQI by county: good days as a share of days with an AQI, calculated with stored counts. https://aqs.epa.gov/aqsweb/airdata/download_files.html#Annual. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  24. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December average temperature, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Give me an overview of Webster County with the latest official figures and their sources.
get_place_profile {"place":"Webster County"}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/profile?place=us-county-19187

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

All statistics for Webster County